We’re back!
Welcome to the sixth annual Matt, Ian, and Blake (or MIB) Awards! Not be confused with the secret organization dedicated to monitoring extraterrestrial activity on Earth.
The awards never go to the right person, because there is no right person. This is important to remember as we approach the 92nd Academy Awards, airing on Sunday. There is no mathematical equation to determine the “correct” winners. Voters cast their votes based on their own personal taste. So what is the point of predicting the winners? You’re just guessing which opinion the majority will hold. Instead, I’ve teamed up with two other close friends and cinephiles — aspiring actor Ian Goldsmith and former Warner Bros. Studio tour guide Matt Bauerly — to name winners of our own.
Best Popcorn Film
Blake: As much as it has become popular to bemoan that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a harbinger for the death of cinema as we know it, The Avengers: Endgame was one of my favorite movie-going experiences of the year. Seeing it at a midnight screening — which aren’t really at midnight anymore, but I digress — with an audience full of people who are invested in this story and these characters was the kind of communal experience that film lovers should hope to preserve for future generations. Beyond that, it is an unprecedented feat of filmmaking, effectively bringing to a close a saga that started with 2008’s Iron Man. The fact that the Russo Bros. were able to stick the landing on a conclusion of this magnitude is remarkable.
Ian: The Avengers: Endgame. Every year there seems to be a lot of dialogue about mega-blockbusters’ place within cinema, and this year was certainly no exception, thanks in part to Martin Scorsese. But wherever your taste in film falls on the “I like movies” to “I like cinema” spectrum, most people can agree: What Marvel has accomplished this past decade is damn impressive. The sheer value of their entertainment looks all the more impressive when comparing the vibrant Marvel Cinematic Universe to the drab DC Extended Universe. It becomes even more impressive when considering how satisfying they concluded a story that spanned TWENTY-TWO movies. Compare that to other major franchise conclusions from this year, such as Game of Thrones or Star Wars… and the MCU proves itself even further as elite blockbuster entertainment.
Matt: Fyre. Do you remember the Fyre festival documentaries that Hulu and Netflix produced? What a crazy story. That Billy McFarland is a major douchebag. I’d still see Ja Rule in concert though.
Best Sequel or Reboot
Blake: Consider the monumental task that Mike Flanagon undertook when he decided to write and direct Doctor Sleep. The film is based on Stephen King’s 2013 literary sequel to The Shining, his classic 1977 novel that was later adapted into an even more iconic film by auteur director Stanley Kubrick. King famously hated Kubrick’s The Shining, in spite of its critical acclaim, and even went to great lengths when writing Doctor Sleep to separate its story from the film’s version of events. Flanagan needed to appease King and remain faithful to the source material, while setting the story within the cinematic universe of the film, because you can’t film a sequel to The Shining and completely ignore Kubrick’s The Shining. And I am here to tell you that Flanagan threaded the needle better than anyone else could have.
Ian: Toy Story 4. Did I feel that the Toy Story franchise properly ended after the third installment? Certainly. Am I among the people annoyed that studios seem to opt in favor of pumping out additional installments of established franchises over original stories? Oh most definitely. But was I pleasantly surprised and thoroughly delighted watching this movie with my family over the holidays? 100%. I laughed and cried just as hard on this go-round with Woody, Buzz, and the gang. Add in an existential fork, a chilling yet ultimately redeemed antique doll, and Key and Peele doing their best Key and Peele impressions, and Pixar found the magic formula yet again.
Matt: El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. Vince Gilligan knows what the hell he is doing. He’s the reason why Breaking Bad was such a compelling TV show and I thought he delivered in writing this Breaking Bad movie for the fans. Checked all the boxes in my book and stayed the course with the familiar story that we know and love.
Best Under-The-Radar Film
Blake: I can guarantee you’ve never heard of The Death of Dick Long. And if you’re planning to check it out now based on my recommendation alone, allow me to offer a word of advice: Don’t Google it. The Wikipedia page alone contains a brief section that would spoil the film’s shocking twist. The titular character’s demise kicks off what at first appears to be a redneck rendition of Fargo, as a pair of thick-skulled ne’er-do-wells scramble to haphazardly to cover up the circumstances of their friend’s death. But their ineptitude only expedites the discovery of a secret that could ruin their lives. It’s a movie about shame and the lengths people are willing to go to avoid being defined by what lurks in the darkest recesses of their minds.
Ian: Always Be My Maybe. You know that feeling when you wake up feeling kinda melancholy? You know, the feeling when you are alone in your Atlanta apartment on a Saturday morning, and you don’t have to DJ a wedding for a change, but your girlfriend Jackie is busy with her own stuff, which you support because you admire and respect her independence, so the only thing that seems like the perfect counter for your Saturday sappies is a don’t-have-to-think-too-hard rom com on Netflix? You know that feeling, right? Well, this modern-day When Harry Met Sally hit me in just the right spot one day when I had that feeling. Also, the 12 minutes in the middle of the movie with Keanu Reeves playing the role of Keanu Reeves is handily the best 12 minutes of Keanu Reeves’ career.
Matt: Honey Boy. Shia LaBeouf. That’s really all you need to know about why I was interested in this film. I just think he’s interesting and respect how he views the world. So when he writes a movie in rehab about his relationship with his dad, I’m going to be all about it. I think the kid that played the young Shia (Noah Jupe) stole the show. Just a terrific performance on his part. So many interesting nuggets in this film. Side note, Shia’s character in Even Stevens got a churro machine in an episode. I legit started to save my money to get myself a churro machine in my room when I was a kid. If Shia thought it was cool, I thought it was cool.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Blake: I can’t say that I’ve read Louisa May Alcott’s coming-of-age novel Little Women, which was first published more than 150 years ago, but I’ve heard from enough people who have read it to know that Greta Gerwig’s adaptation is a very personal reading of the material. The structure is different, moving back and forth between childhood and adulthood, but where Gerwig’s influence is most apparent is in how she wrote Jo and Amy. She clearly recognizes a part of herself in both of them, from Jo’s ambitious spirit as an aspiring writer who rejects society’s expectations for women to Amy’s painful understanding of her limitations as an artist. Her passion and empathy for the March sisters is clear on both page and screen, as she paints each of them with the care necessary to make them all feel of flesh and blood.
Ian: Greta Gerwig for Little Women. Like Blake, I have never read Louisa May Alcott’s original novel, nor have I seen any prior screen adaptation of Little Women. That said, I don’t need any prior relationship to these characters to appreciate the cleverness and care of Gerwig’s adaptation. Masterfully cutting back-and-forth between past and present in the story, the script utilizes the best aspects of Alcott’s characters, while taking liberties of its own in order to “150 years later give her an ending she might have liked.” Bolstered by knockout performances from Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, and Timothee Chalamet, you don’t have to be a little woman to identify deeply with the struggles and joys of Little Women.
Matt: Scott Auckerman for Between Two Ferns: The Movie. What was the marijuana budget on the set of True Detective? Zack Galifianakis to Matthew McConaughey.
Best Original Screenplay
Blake: Rian Johnson has said that as much as he adores Agatha Christie’s classic mystery novels, he tends to agree with Alfred Hitchcock in his criticism of whodunits: “Two hours of clue gathering for one big wet fart of a surprise at the end.” Well, Knives Out manages the feat of being a love letter to Christie and subverting the familiar — and oftentimes frustrating — tropes of the genre for which she is the standard-bearer. What Johnson brings to Knives Out is a clever structure that employs subtle sleight of hand to keep the audience off balance, allowing them to believe they’ve got a handle on where this affair is headed before steering them in the other direction. It doesn’t hurt that the film is frequently hilarious either, with a wicked sense of humor.
Ian: To simultaneously tell a story that is authentically in-genre, while overtly satirizing said genre, is a writing feat that perhaps no movie has accomplished with greater virtuosity than Rian Johnson with Knives Out. Both old-fashioned and newfangled, Knives Out is scrupulous in unraveling its mystery while remaining uproariously goofy. As an audience member, I found myself not realizing the number of set-ups in the first half of the film until they all started paying off towards the end. While the superb ensemble cast brings this whodunit to life, I believe the biggest compliment to Johnson’s screenwriting is that I am convinced they could replace every actor in this cast and it would still be one of the best films of the year.
Matt: Safdie Brothers and Ronald Bronstein for Uncut Gems. These dudes are beasts and I’m glad Adam Sandler got behind this film and made it a Christmas Day movie for all to see. Their fingerprints are all over this film, from every little decision to the costumes and music. It’s not for everyone and that’s the whole point. What a rush of a film, with Kevin Garnett killing it as well. I can’t wait for these dudes to get money from big studios and make great films.
Best Supporting Actress
Blake: 75-year-old Chinese actress Zhao Shuzhen is evidently a stage and screen legend in her native country, but for most American audiences, The Farewell — which is also the first American production of her career — will be their introduction. And Shuzhen certainly makes an impression. Her character, Nai Nai, is the grandmother to Awkwafina’s Billi, a Chinese-American who learns that her grandmother has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and that the family has decided not to tell Nai Nai, which is not an uncommon practice in China. The film’s emotional core lies in the relationship between Billi and Nai Nai, and Shuzhen perfectly captures everything you probably remember — for better or worse — about your own grandmother. If you don’t love her after her observing morning “exercise,” you have a heart of stone.
- Honorable Mention: Rebecca Ferguson for Doctor Sleep
Ian: Cho Yeo-Jeong in Parasite. Singling out any performance in Parasite feels… wrong. The performances are superb from top to bottom (pun intended, for those who have seen the movie), and I could not be more thrilled that this cast won the top honor at the SAG Awards for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture. That said, I was particularly fond of Yeo-jong’s portrayal of Mrs. Park. She is sweet and gullible, which is a major source of comedy in the film, even amidst her repulsive upper-class ignorance.
- Honorable Mention: Florence Pugh for Little Women
Matt: Dakota Johnson for The Peanut Butter Falcon. Marry me. I mean, what?! This film is great and everyone should watch it. I just adore Dakota and think she is the cutest thing in the world. Big Shia LaBeouf fan here and that’s the main reason it was on my radar. It’s a beautiful heart warming film. Dakota, call me.
Best Supporting Actor
Blake: To be clear, Wesley Snipes steals every scene he is in in Dolemite Is My Name. But there is one scene in particular where his character D’Urville Martin — the real-life actor who was coaxed into participating in Rudy Ray Moore’s 70s no-budget blaxploitation film, Dolemite, after being offered the director’s chair for the first time in his career — is touring the set with Moore, lecturing him on the “cinemagical reality” that requires a director of photography who knows how to properly light black actors. But a moment later, he is taking a swig from his flask and complaining of the lighting giving him a headache, directing Moore to continue on with the tour. I have no real insights beyond that. I just love that scene and this performance.
- Honorable Mention: Sterling K. Brown for Waves
Ian: Every year I seem to land on a somewhat unconventional choice in one of the supporting acting categories to keep things interesting. In that vein, it took ALL my power this year to restrain myself from picking that dude from the Fyre Festival documentary for his cultural impact as a meme icon. Alas, I kept my integrity by choosing a scripted performance with Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse. HARK! Wha’ a harrowin’ performance ’twas! Dafoe be so committed ‘n unsettlin’ in this dense avant-garde horror drama that I be convinced he always been a pirate thas jus’ been pretendin’ t’ be th’ actor Willem Dafoe his entire career. HAARRK!
Matt: Brad Pitt for Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood. I did not love this film. On paper with Quentin Tarantino, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Brad Pitt, I was expecting nothing less than an A. Overall I was left confused on what I was supposed to be interested in. However, Brad Pitt’s performance did stand out in a big way to me and I think he is long overdue for all the accolades he is getting this awards season. Cheers to you, Mr. Brad Pitt. I don’t love you as much as Dax Shepard (Armchair Expert fans, what up!), but I’ve always been a fan and I’m glad you like Marc Maron as much as I do.
Best Actress
Blake: Lupita Nyong’o for Us. Nyong’o portrays two characters, but she gives four performances. There are the two characters you believe her to be portraying your first time through the film. Then, once you know the film’s third act twist, watching Us again reveals layers to both performances that you never realized were there all along. Her brilliant performances serve as a reminder to anyone who may have forgotten that Nyong’o won a Best Supporting Actress when she was 30 years old and acting in her first feature film role. Whether playing the fiercely protective Adelaide or channeling the righteous anger of Red, Nyong’o is always the most magnetic presence on the screen. More leading roles for her, please.
- Honorable Mention: Florence Pugh for Midsommar and Little Women
Ian: If you want proof that the Academy and other awarding guilds historically gloss over horror films — and performers of color, for that matter — look no further than the lack of appreciation given this year for Lupita Nyong’o in Us. She is the heart and soul of Jordan Peele’s follow-up to his revolutionary (and multi-MIB Award-winning) Get Out. Forgive me, but due to the prowess of Nyong’o’s performance, a caps lock is in order: SHE PLAYS BOTH THE PROTAGONIST AND ANTAGONIST OF THE FILM. AS SEPARATE, MULTI-LAYERED YIN-AND-YANG CHARACTERS. AND SHE RUNS WITH SCISSORS. THIS WOMAN DESERVES ALL THE AWARDS.
Matt: Beanie Feldstein for Booksmart. I think we are going to see a lot more of Beanie in the future, and in major films. She is wonderful. This film was solid in my book but I really liked the performance of the lead characters, including Kailtlyn Dever. Olivia Wilde was a close second for Best Female Director for me. People also say I remind them of Jason Sudeikis. He’s in this movie and I can definitely see myself in his character.
Best Actor
Blake: I wrestled with this one for quite a while, because I feel that my runner-up for this category makes a very compelling case. But I’m going to take a page out of the Academy’s playbook and award this to Adam Sandler, as I may never get another opportunity to do so. Make no mistake though, his performance in Uncut Gems is the best of his career (with all due respect to Happy Gilmore and Punch-Drunk Love). Say what you want about his Netflix output — which I will charitably cop to being a far cry from his classic comedies of the 90s — but when Sandler gets serious, he delivers the goods. His bread and butter are characters who are their own worst enemy, and Uncut Gems’ Howard Ratner is cut from that same cloth, alienating everyone around him in pursuit of a big payoff that may never come. I can’t imagine anyone else in this role and it works in large part because of what Sandler brings to it.
- Honorable Mention: Kelvin Harrison Jr. for Luce and Waves
Ian: If you haven’t seen Marriage Story, your only orientation to this movie may be the meme-ified screaming match between Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. You know, the one where he punches a hole in the wall and screams about all the people he didn’t sleep with after he was on the cover of Time Out New York. Having viewed that scene out-of-context, I was braced for a dismal divorce drama. Instead, I was treated to a multifaceted — and surprisingly laugh-out-loud funny — story about two humans working through their new reality. Charlie Barber is self-absorbed and obnoxiously privileged, but certified national treasure Driver plays him with enough elegance and endearment that the audience enjoys merging with his perspective by the movie’s end.
- Honorable Mention: Joaquin Phoenix in Joker & Eddie Murphy in Dolemite is My Name
Matt: Joaquin Phoenix for Joker. He had to crush it and he delivered. I had very high hopes, not so much for the film overall, but for how would Joaquin Phoenix play the Joker. The film has crushed box office records because I believe many walked out and probably thought the film/story overall was just okay but said to their friend you gotta see Joaquin’s portrayal of the Joker. That’s worth the price of admission alone and I’m beyond excited for the future of this story and where he takes this iconic character.
Best Female Director
Blake: If you’re a regular reader of the MIB Awards, you’ll recognize the name Marielle Heller from last year’s awards, when Matt awarded her Best Female Director for Can You Ever Forgive Me?. Well, I’m here to tell you that regardless of whether you keep up with these awards every year or not, you should commit her name to memory, because Heller is entering must-see territory as a director. A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood is her third feature, inspired by a 1998 Esquire article in which journalist Tom Junod described how meeting Fred Rogers (a.k.a. the iconic children’s television show host Mr. Rogers) changed his life. It’s such a warm and comforting film that invites you in — quite literally — from the first frame, staged as a sort of meta episode of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and blending the show with reality, just as the Mr. Rogers of the show has become indistinguishable from the Fred Rogers of real life.
- Honorable Mention: Lulu Wang for The Farewell
Ian: Lulu Wang for The Farewell. I enjoy spectacle and grandiose cinematic experiences as much as the next guy. But sometimes I’m reminded that the best movies are the ones left uncluttered. It’s hard to believe that this is only Wang’s second feature film… this semi-autobiographical piece beautifully blends comedy and drama through one simple premise: “Nai Nai (grandma) is dying, AND WE DON’T WANT HER TO KNOW.” Wang turns a morose reality into a film as joyful and nuanced as every real-life family. If you need a reminder to cherish time with your loved ones while you are still able, this is as good as they come.
- Honorable Mention: Greta Gerwig for Little Women
Matt: Alma Har’el for Honey Boy. I love this film and I love Shia LaBeouf. However it is very clear to me when watching Honey Boy that the director made this film great. Shia wrote the film, while in rehab, about his relationship with his dad but the beauty of the film was shaped by Alma Har’el’s vision. To me this film is very relatable and each person can take something away from it. I look forward to hearing back from our loyal MIB Award readers and hearing what they thought of this movie.
Best Male Director
Blake: I will remember 2019 as the year that I discovered Bong Joon-ho. If you’re reading this now and asking yourself, “But who is Bong Joon-ho,” don’t worry, I was like you not too long ago. The good news is that it is never too late to appreciate the movie-making magic of Bong Joon-ho and Parasite is as good a place to start as any. I’m not going to tell you much more than that. Go watch Parasite. It makes the case for Bong Joon-ho better than I ever could. Yes, it is a foreign-language film from South Korea, but there are English subtitles and if you’re reading this right now then you should have no problem reading subtitles. I believe in you. As Bong said in his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes: “Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films.”
- Honorable Mention: Josh and Benny Safdie for Uncut Gems
Ian: I don’t say this lightly: 1917 is one of the greatest technical achievements in cinema history. Spending time on professional film sets this year, seeing the staggering amount of coordination and collaboration that goes in to making even comparatively simple film and television, has given me all the more appreciation for what Sam Mendes and his crew achieved in their breathtaking production. That said, Uncut Gems was the most atmospheric film I saw this year, so clearly influenced by Josh and Benny Safdie’s incomparable style. I never knew what it was like to hear anxiety until this film. In what seems like a perpetually falling house of cards, Uncut Gems is guaranteed to leave an impression on anyone. Also, they directed Adam Sandler (who long-time readers will know is my least favorite actor) to the best performance of his career, so that alone is award worthy.
- Honorable Mention: Sam Mendes for 1917
Matt: Rian Johnson for Knives Out. This movie is the safest bet for a recommendation to anyone this awards season. Everyone is enjoying this film and to me that is the brilliance of Rian Johnson. Rian has been on my radar ever since he directed some of my favorite episodes of Breaking Bad and he is now on my watchlist for anything he is involved in. Overall, Knives Out is a type of film I will always enjoy. Terrific performances from Daniel Craig, among others, makes this one a no-brainer.
Best Picture
Blake: I’ve heard from people who loathed Uncut Gems, and I’m here to respond with a quote from former fictional President of the United States Jed Bartlet: “Just stand there in your wrongness and be wrong and get used to it.” Because Uncut Gems is… wait for it… an uncut gem. In an interview with Vulture’s Hunter Harris, co-director Benny Safdie described the film’s protagonist, Howard Ratner, as an uncut gem, pointing out that Howard is “rough on the outside, but if you scratched below the surface, you see the beauty, and you see these things that you didn’t quite know were there at first glance.” I think the same holds true of the film. It’s a loud, acerbic, nerve-wracking dive into New York’s Diamond District, from the point-of-view of a degenerate gambler who will never know contentment because cashing in his chips would mean surrendering to the dullness of a mundane life. Bad decisions abound, and Howard consorts with a host of unscrupulous characters, but much like in the colonoscopy scene that first introduces us to Howard, Uncut Gems invites us to dig deeper into what drives him.
Ian: What makes Parasite so singular is that it is so many films at once. It is a pitch-black comedy that is witty and ludicrous. It is a thriller that is eerie and gripping. It is drama that is supremely human yet layered in symbolism. Whether overt or metaphorical, class disparity was at the forefront of cinema more than ever this year (see also Joker, Us, Knives Out, etc.) No matter how they tried to tackle capitalism, no film was able to do to hit a bullseye as enjoyable yet poignant as Parasite. As a piece of entertainment, I was happily manipulated through every emotion and plot point that writer-director Bong Joon-ho wanted me to take on. As a piece of art, the metaphors and precision have continued to sink in further weeks after seeing this in theaters. I could continue spewing adjectives in an attempt to convince you to “overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles” and see this film, but I’ve used too many as is. All I know is that I look forward to enjoying and studying this movie for years to come.
Matt: The movie season will come and go and 2019 will go down as a very solid year overall for films. Plenty of great options this year but the most memorable film will be Parasite. Its originality stands out from start to finish and is overall a very well executed film. The details from director Bong Joon-ho are genius and he deserves all the accolades he is getting this awards season. A subtitled foreign-language film is taking my Best Picture selection and to me that says everything. I’m looking forward to many conversations about this film and hearing others’ interpretations of it.